Often, adolescence is a time of emotional dysregulation(difficulty in managing emotions). The adolescent can have dramatically fluctuating emotions, be moody, poor at making decisions, impulsive, sensation-seeking and a high risk-taker. Furthermore, approval from others is especially important during this period of life, so adolescents also tend to be very vulnerable to peer-pressure; this can make them even more likely to take risks (eg to impress friends).

However, during adolescence, this brain region IS NOT YET FULLYDEVELOPED.

Above : Adolescence can be a time of high risk-taking. This has both neurological and evolutionary explanations.

This means that adolescents are especially likely to be HIGH RISK TAKERS. This is made even more likely due to the fact that the ‘REWARD CENTRE’ in the brain of adolescents is more active than it is in children and adults. This leads the adolescent to OVERESTIMATE THE REWARDS RISK TAKING WILL PRODUCE, further increasing the probability s/he will take risks (eg unprotected sex, excessive drinking, taking elicit and potentially harmful drugs, fast and dangerous driving etc).

ABOVE : Another example of high risk-taking behaviour amongst young people.

It is likely that risk-taking behaviour evolved in adolescents amongst our ancestors in order to make the individual open to new experiences and situations, thus making it more likely that s/he will be willing to leave the relative safety of being cared for by parents and start to live independently.